Only picked 3 AS Levels, need more, what are my options in January?

Hi, I'm doing AS Levels in Pakistan studying Chemistry, Maths and Physics and aspiring to go to a top University for Engineering.

Long story short: I have been travelling all my life from city to city and country to country and have constantly missed time and have had to catch up on it. Couple this with the different school systems (US highschool -> AS Level) and I have had to overcome a lot of gaps that people who are continuously from IGCSE -> AS Level have not had to overcome :s-smilie:

I had 5A*s, 2A's and 1B in a high school, following the US curriculum, in Saudi Arabia before this year. The gap from this to AS Level was very drastic and far more than if I had done IGCSE -> AS Level. This means I didn't have a foundation in the different subjects I could have picked as my 4th AS Level because I had not studied them previously, as I would have been able to do had I done IGCSE but unfortunately, it was not an option. Starting a subject from scratch while adjusting to the difference in how my current 3 subjects are from my old school seemed too much for me.

Because of the increased burden, I only picked 3 AS Levels but the more I research, the more I realize that I most likely cannot even attempt to get into the top US and UK universities without more AS Level subjects (along with the SAT's for US, blabla).

Midterms are going on right now and I think I've done well enough to feel that I can get A's in all three subjects. What are my options for taking more AS Level subjects? I have no subject I am really fond of and am happily looking to take for a 4th AS Level.

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Are 4 REALLY required for the top end universities?

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Should I try to take another one this year - start from January?

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Should I take one next year? (3 A2's + 1 AS?) how much is the workload?

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Can I take more in my gap year and will it be frowned upon?

Please help, I can't sleep properly because of this issue. Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

username1560589

In the UK a fourth AS is required for a few courses at a few universities, but the overwhelming majority of good courses/universities don't require a fourth AS. Check the entry requirements for the courses you're thinking of applying to. I don't know how it works in the US.

You could take an extra one this June, but I don't think it's realistic that you would get the grade you want. It's probably a better idea to take one next year if you want to.
I'm taking 4 A2s this year, plus STEP and extra maths modules and it is doable, but it depends on how efficiently you work and how well you can manage large workloads.

Further maths will help with engineering.

Reply 2

suirrel

If you got 3 good A level grades and explained your circumstances then it's unlikely that not taking 4 AS levels would count against you. Plenty of UK students take 3 AS levels and still get into good universities after A2. :smile: